ID Cards in Manchester

[birdie1971]

First it was the congestion charge, now it's ID cards. Has the city of Manchester upset the Labour party in some way?

We seem to be the new testing ground for unpopular Government projects.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8035002 .stm

[Rollo]

Why would anybody want to pay good money now to have such a card, when the next government is going to scrap the idea?

[birdie1971]

Exactly Rollo. Plus the fact, who's got a 'spare' �60 these days?

To me, it's just another example of this Government not listening to the people and trying to bulldoze through legistaltion and policies that no one seems to want nor need.

I think it's amazing that Ms Smith thinks these cards will help to fight terrorism. All of the 7/7 bombers would have had a valid ID card anyway.

[birdie1971]

�legistaltion� � This is a new word that means the same as �legislation�

:-/

[Gromit]

Just an idea I would like to float but maybe the Government wants to finally bury the ID cards issue, and they need the good folk of Manchester to reject it, like they did with the congestion charge, before they can give up on it.

Its introduction is bound to be a complete failure, so maybe they have set it up to fail?

[birdie1971]

Gromit � That�s an interesting point. I�d not considered that. You may have something there.

[brionon]

Let's see now. you don't want illegals living here and you don't want ID cards? Hmmm.

[brionon]

Ps -Before some clown says 'They can be forged' '' SO CAN MONEY Idiot.

[birdie1971]

Brionon � Who are you calling an idiot?

As far as I can tell, your opinion is that ID cards won�t stop �illegals� living here as you seem to be of the opinion that they can be forged.

So what�s the point of them?

[paraffin]

C'mon birdie, you and I both know what it is to have to carry permanent identity with us, don't we?

[Rollo]

They won't have the time to get the law passed before the election.

[Totterdown]

It is only to be voluntary in Manchester and people to pay �60 for the privilage. So the government will see how popular this idea will be an scrap it.

[LucyThomas6]

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/News/Question75 1956.html

[Eve]

I have no problem with getting an ID card, have the opnion that if you've nothing to hide then what's the problem.

I can also see a lot of plusses with having a standard form of ID which is more suited to carrying with you everyday, though, to be fair, a photocard driving licence does me a lot of the time.

I can't see people paying for something on a voluntary basis though.

Despite thinking it's a good idea (ID cards in general) I wouldn't be impressed to see the amount of money which appeared to be spent on trying to get the congestion charge through and turned out to be a complete waste of money.

[birdie1971]

Thanks for all the comments everyone.

The main problem I have with this proposal is that it seems to put too many eggs in one basket. If (or rather, when) someone is unfortunate enough to have their identity cloned they're going to have a hell of job repairing the damage done.

At the moment, the system is akin to a distributed network. We have the banks, the DVLA, the passport agency, etc. None of these organisations are infallible � far from it � but they are separate; so a mistake by one isn't replicated by all the others. So if one of them messes up your records (or if your identity is cloned) you can at least be reasonably assured that the others haven't all made the same mistake. This should make correcting those mistakes easier.

In principal I have no objection to carrying identification. I do it all the time. But I do have a problem with a single Government agency being responsible for all my data, including biometric data.

Plus the fact, if I want to drive car I have to put my hand in my pocket and pay for driving lessons and a licence. Fair enough.

If I want to travel abroad, I pay for a passport.

What exactly am I getting for my �60? What does my ID card allow me to do today that couldn't do yesterday?

Don't think so Ms Smith. Not unless I can claim it on my expenses ;-)

[mightyWBA]

How do you prove who you are to get one?
Take a gas bill or something?

[anotheoldgit]

Apart from the fact that they want us to pay for this card I cannot understand all the strong feeling against having some form of National ID card.

We have seen cameras put up that follow our everyday movements, cameras that keep a check on the speed of our vehicles, charges made for entering certain parts of our city etc, etc. all of these without much of a protest, yet mention ID cards, oh! dear, oh! dear.

With all the illegals that have entered this country, the Government even has no idea who is here. With making everyone register to obtain an ID card, then at least only those that have an legitimate reason for being in the country will be able to get their hands on one, and all those that haven't one will soon rise to the surface.